India: Drunk Father Bites off Toddler's Nose, Lips, and Cheeks

Mother and another daughter also attacked

A drunk man in India's north-western state Rajasthan bit off his 5-month-old daughter's nose, lips and cheeks. The incident took place in Kolayat town of Bikaner region. Bahadur Singh, 36, was reportedly irritated by the child's wails.

The child was immediately taken to a hospital where the doctors said that she needed to undergo extensive plastic surgery. The local government hospital initially refused to perform the surgery saying it was an "emergency" case.

Later, two major plastic surgeries have been performed to reconstruct the toddler's face. Both the surgeries have been successful and the child will undergo another round of surgeries in a month's time.

"Singh asked his wife to do some work, but she refused as she had applied henna [mehendi] on her hands. At this, an angry Bahadur started abusing his wife. When she protested and called neighbours to intervene, he started beating her up," a police official told the Times of India.

Another daughter aged three, who was also present in the house when the incident took place, escaped with minor injuries. The father bit the elder daughter on her back and hands.

"The younger daughter Radha woke up and started crying. This infuriated him further and he bit her lips, nose and cheeks. By then, some neighbours reached the house and reported the matter to the police," said a police official.

The man allegedly threw the mother and her two daughters out of the house soon after the incident.

Although the local government has borne the child's medical expenses, the poverty-stricken mother is at a loose end.